Starting Over
by Alanna of Roses
Summary: Jess isn't sure what will happen when Sam's brother shows up unexpectedly. Sam taking off for the weekend certainly wasn't in the plan. But she's about to be introduced to a world that's a lot bigger, and scarier, than she could have ever imagined. Will Jess be able to survive this world of danger and death, or will Sam lose her to the forces of the supernatural?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! I know it's been forever since I've written anything, so sorry. I just haven't had any good ideas lately. However, I have recently finished watching Supernatural, which is an absolutely amazing show. I fell head over heels for Jess and Sam in the first five minutes, and I was devastated when Jess died. This little story popped into my head the other day, and I was super excited to write it out and see what I could do with it. I currently have no idea how far I'm going to take it, and if it will be mostly cannon or turn a bit AU, so I'll let you know as it progresses. **

**Um, things you need to know; I don't own the characters or anything you recognize from the show, that is all from the mind of the amazing Eric Kripke. Rating for this is probably a mild PG, I probably won't use much language (except, you know, Dean), but it may have some violence. The pairing for this is 100% Sam/Jess, which means no Wincest, Destiel, ect., and I'll probably cut out Madison and such too. **

**That should be it! Enjoy!**

Starting Over

It was time for Sam to be home. Jess had tried everything to distract herself from worrying about her gentle giant of a boyfriend. It wasn't that she thought he couldn't take care of himself, in fact, on several occasions he had proven himself quite capable of that. A bar fight with eight guys against three came to mind, and Sam had come out of that with only a few bruises and a sore hand.

So she wasn't worried for his physical health, not really, at least not any more than usual. It was his mental health that had her pacing the floor and begging the clock to go faster. Her boyfriend was naturally secretive, keeping quiet about his scars and his weird habits (like the salt and the iron poker even though they didn't have a fireplace and the spray bottle of water he kept in the kitchen cupboard that she wasn't supposed to use).

But above and beyond all that, the one thing Sam had never talked about was his family. She knew he had a brother, and she assumed there were parents in there somewhere, but she had heard little else. She did know that he hadn't talked to his family since he came to college, though that was more because she spent most of her time around him than that he'd actually told her.

Of course, now she had met Dean, the elusive brother, and he had brought word to Sam about their father, who was apparently a hunter and also missing. How one went missing on a hunt Jess had no idea, didn't people take guides and go in groups and stuff? But Sam had gone stiff at that, and Jess had been sent away. She had waited, impatiently, if she was honest, for Sam to come back and explain all this. But he had come in their room and started throwing his things in a duffle, and given her half-hearted explanations like, "Don't worry," "No big deal," and "I'll be back Sunday, promise."

And then he was gone, the rumble of Dean's classic car fading into the Palo Alto night. Which left Jess, two days later, pacing her living room floor worried sick about her boyfriend and hoping he would be in one piece when he came back.

"Oh, get a grip." Jess told herself finally. She looked out the window one more time, and then resolutely turned towards the kitchen. "Let's do something productive, shall we?"

**Author's note: Sorry about all the expo, I had to get into her voice and set the scene and stuff. Next chapter will have more action and some Winchesters, I promise. Anyway, tell me what you think!**

**~Alanna**

**P.S. The bar fight in the first paragraph? Actually happened, but to Jared. He, Jensen and a friend of Jared's got jumped by eight guys outside a bar in Vancouver. Jared broke his hand punching some guy. Jensen had gotten away, but saw that Jared was still in there and went back to rescue him. They talk about it in a couple interviews. Just Google 'Jared bar fight'.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So I've learned I suck at writing long stories. *Sigh*. That first chapter looks so short now that it's published. Anyway. Here is the next installment in my little fic. It has a bit more dialogue and action and stuff, though I lied about the Winchester part, it just didn't fit in this chapter. I decided I'm going to switch between POV's, so **_**next**_** chapter we will get to see what Sam is doing. **

**Same stuff as last chapter, it's still not mine, it's still PG, and it's still (mostly) canon-compliant. Enjoy!**

In the end, Jess decided on cookies. She had thought about a thick chocolate cake, but she couldn't find the powdered sugar for the frosting, so she had pulled out the chocolate chips instead. She was adding the wet ingredients to the dry mix when she heard the door.

"Coming!" She quickly scraped the last of the egg into the mixer and wiped her hands on a dishtowel. She hoped she didn't have flour on her face. The visitor knocked again, and Jess quickened her step. "I'm coming!"

She undid the lock and pulled the door open to reveal Sam's friend Brady. She was curious, but not surprised to see him at her door. She knew Sam had helped him through many a rough patch, and though her protective boyfriend usually tried to keep Brady distanced from her, he had been known to let the notorious partier sleep off his latest binge on their couch.

"Brady! Hi, um. Sam's not here right now, is there something you needed?"

Brady didn't look drunk, and she couldn't detect any signs of drugs. That part_ was_ unusual, as Brady never seemed to seek Sam out unless he was beyond wasted. This time however, his eyes seemed unusually clear, almost piercing. It made her a little nervous.

Brady peered past her shoulder into the apartment. "Sam's not here? Where is he?"

Jess narrowed her eyes. Something about the way he asked the question made her think he already knew the answer. A light chill ran up her spine. "He went out for a bit," she lied. "but he's due back any minute."

Brady looked at her, now. "Is that so?"

Jess nodded, growing more apprehensive by the second. "So you should probably go. I've gotta get back to my cookies…"

He stuck his foot in the door, and pushed her back into the living room. Her breathing sped up as she looked desperately for something to use to defend herself. Brady came closer, slowly, steadily. She felt her back hit the wall.

"Please." She tried desperately, even though she was fairly certain it wouldn't reach this thing that was not-Brady. "You're scaring me."

Not-Brady smiled, an evil baring of teeth that set off all of Jess' danger alarms. "Oh sweetheart," he crooned. "You haven't seen anything yet."


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, finally some Winchesters! This chapter will be from Sam's POV, and will cover what he was doing during the first two chapters and provide a bridge to the fourth chapter, which I've already written from Jess' POV. I haven't totally decided how often I'm going to swap POV's, but I'm kinda thinking about a two-one thing, with two Jess chapters and then a Sam chapter. We'll see.**

**Um, nothing new, I guess. Still not mine, still PG, still (mostly) canon-compliant. Enjoy!**

The closer they got to Palo Alto, the more edgy Sam got.

He didn't know why exactly, but he would bet it had something to do with the freaky dreams he'd been having lately. Watching Jess burn on the ceiling was not the highlight of his nighttime reel, but he had had awful dreams about Dean, and even Dad, dying horrible deaths. This one seemed…different though. He just couldn't put his finger on why, and it was making him anxious to see Jess again and have himself between her and all the supernatural baddies of a world she could never know about.

"Dude. You've been staring out the window for the last 20 minutes. The scenery isn't that exciting."

Sam turned at the sound of Dean's voice. His brother was sprawled in the driver's seat of the Impala, guiding them down a practically empty road with one hand on the wheel and the other resting on the gear shift. The streetlights cast his face in stark lines, shadows shifting from left to right and then back again as he looked over. Sam was suddenly struck by how _normal_ this was, the two of them, on the road in Dean's car. He wondered if this would have been his life, if he hadn't chosen Stanford. He suspected the answer was yes.

But he had chosen Stanford, and he had to live with that decision. Even when it meant giving up Dean, again. Besides, Jess was waiting, and he had an interview tomorrow, and it was his future, and he shut up because now he was trying to think of reasons not to just stay here, with Dean, forever.

"Sorry, Dean. I'm just tired." He lied.

"Yeah." Dean said. He faced forward again, an awkward silence falling as they both tried to come up with something to say, and when had this gotten so _hard_. They had always been so close, able to read each other, but it was like two years had built up a solid wall between them, and neither of them could find a way around it.

All too soon, they were driving the familiar streets of Palo Alto, and Sam's apartment came into view. Sam looked at the clock, noticing with surprise that they had arrived earlier than he had thought they would.

Dean stopped the car, and Sam unfolded himself quickly, knowing if he lingered too long he would never leave. He leaned back down to meet Dean's gaze. "I'll call you, okay? Maybe I can come help you out later, or something."

"Yeah, Sammy." Dean agreed, though Sam could tell he didn't really believe it either. Hunting and normal life didn't mix, and Sam had chosen his path. "I'll see you around."

Sam nodded, grabbed his duffle, and left his brother sitting in the car that both of them considered home.

He entered the apartment to find the smell of cookies in the air. Cookies, and fear. He was instantly on alert. The feeling of _wrongness _washed over him, and he pulled out the gun he had slipped into his bag.

The door to the bedroom he shared with Jess was open just a crack, and he could see shadows moving beyond it. He was moving forward, gun ready, when he heard a small noise. Someone who was not hunter-trained might have missed it, but his ears caught a muffled sound of distress and fear, and suddenly he was moving, because it was Jess and his nightmare was coming true.

He shoved the door open and met Jess' wide eyes. She stood against the wall, her mouth open in a cry. He didn't have time to say anything before an invisible force yanked the gun out of his hands and threw him into the wall. Jess made another sound of fear, and Sam watching in horror as Brady, his eyes black and smile malicious, lifted a hand. Then Jessica was moving up towards the ceiling, and Sam couldn't do anything at all.

**Well, intense! And a bit longer, too. Yay! Anyway, read and review, please, I'd love to hear your thoughts!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I know I'm a bit early, but I got my second review for the story this morning and it made me so excited! I'm betting you guys don't mind the fast update, either. **

**Anyway, chapter 4, back to Jess! Same stuff as last chapter, except this one is where it separates from canon a bit. Enjoy!**

Sam was pinned to the wall, eyes wide with horror. Jess could feel her feet leave the ground as she moved up the wall and towards the ceiling. Sam let out a strangled sound, half her name and half a sob, and Jess realized with a cool certainty that she was going to die.

And then Dean was there, and the not-Brady shrieked. There was black smoke everywhere and suddenly she was falling. She didn't even have time to be afraid before Sam's warm, strong arms caught her. He cradled her gently as he crashed to the floor, his legs buckling beneath him. He was shaking as he buried his face in her shoulder, but it wasn't until she felt a warm wetness soak through her shirt that she realized he was crying. Her brave, tough, big-hearted Sam was sobbing like his world had fallen apart. Jess' heart broke. She reached up her free hand and gently stroked his hair.

She had tons of questions, and she was pretty sure she was in a mild state of shock, but right now Sam came first. She was pretty sure Dean had had the same thought, as he had started forward the moment Sam's distress had become audible, but he seemed to realize Jess was handling it. He turned instead to Brady's body, still lying where it had fallen, and began to wrap it in a sheet. By the time he was dragging it outside, Jess had decided she simply didn't want to know what he was doing.

Eventually Sam quieted, though he stayed pressed against her shoulder until he got his breathing under control. When he finally looked up, it was directly into her eyes. He must have seen something there, because he leaned forward and kissed her, a deep, possessive kiss. She gave back as good as she got. When he broke the kiss, his hands gripped her shoulders.

"Are you alright?"

Jess nodded, still too deep in shock to attempt to speak intelligibly.

"I know you have questions, and I'll do my best to answer them. But for right now, Jess, I'm so so sorry."

He looked like he might cry again, and that gave Jess the strength to respond. She lifted her hand to press her fingers against his lips. "Shh, Sam. Whatever happened, we will work it out."

He kissed her fingertips gently. A throat clearing in the doorway alerted both of them to the fact that Dean was back. Sam instantly stood and moved to his brother, his arms encircling Dean's neck as he crushed the shorter man to him.

"Thank you Dean." He breathed.

Dean looked startled for a moment before his own arms came up to grip his younger brother's form. "You're welcome, Sammy."

**So Jess lives! Yay! I have at least one more chapter written and then I need to take a bit of a break as school has started and such. Thanks everybody for reading! Please review so I can hear what you think and how I can improve!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Before I start this chapter, I would like to thank zexydemyx66, who is my one and only reviewer. I really appreciate the praise! You made me excited to write and I loved hearing your feedback. **

"We need to leave." Dean ordered.

Sam nodded and Jess watched numbly as he began pulling clothes and other effects out of drawers and cabinets. He pulled a long, sharp knife from under the mattress, and Jess shuddered.

Dean caught it and looked at her. "You okay?"

Jess nodded shakily. "Where are we going?"

"Away for a bit. We need to make sure whatever came for you won't be back."

Jess saw Brady's face in her mind, his eyes black and his mouth mocking. "What was it? And what happened to Brady?"

"Brady is dead." Dean said bluntly.

Sam looked up warningly. "Dean."

"It's okay, Sam." Jess murmured. But she wasn't so sure of that anymore. As Sam moved around the apartment, she saw several weapons appear and be placed in the bag he was packing. He pulled out a third knife from one of the drawers, and Jess found herself wondering what she had gotten herself into.

She had known Sam for almost two years, and never had she seen this side of him, the side that could calmly and cooly pack a bag to leave town, the part that was so comfortable with deadly weapons, the part that could watch his girlfriend nearly die and then turn around and act like it was normal.

Jess hoped the brothers were going to explain things soon, because she had no idea what was going on, and frankly it was scaring her a little.

Dean finally broke the silence. "We can head to Blackwater ridge. See if we can catch up to Dad and find out what he knows."

Sam made a face. "You want to take Jess hunting, Dean?"

Dean shrugged, "It's not like we have much of a choice, Sam. She's just gotten her indiction letter to the supernatural."

"It's_ induction_, Dean." Sam rolled his eyes. "And just because there was an attack doesn't mean we can't still hide her away somewhere, find another option."

"What other option, Sam? She is going to be safest where we can keep an eye on her."

"Dean. I'm not dragging Jess into this mess…"

"AHEM." Both brothers turned to Jess. She raised her chin and met first Dean's gaze, then Sam's. "As I am the party under discussion here, I would like to have a say. And I say, take me with you. You obviously know how to deal with whatever that was, and I am willing to trust you."

Sam looked as if he was about to protest, but Dean cut him off. "Alright then. Let's go."

Jess headed for the door, Dean behind her. She noticed Sam stop Dean with a hand on his arm. "Dean. If we are going to do this, you watch out for her. Watch her over me."

"Sammy…"

"_Over me_, Dean. You got that?"

Oh, those boys definitely needed to explain some things.

_The Beginning_

**Well, that's it y'all. Hope you enjoyed it. I am heading back to college, so I am going to lay this story to rest for now. I may continue it at some future date, but for the moment it will be marked as completed. However, if any of you lovely readers would like to adopt this story and carry it into the series, send me a PM with the following; 1. Your FF username (should be the account you are sending the message from). 2. A sample of your work if you don't have any posted on this site, or the title of a piece posted on FF that represents your writing style. 3. A brief summary of your vision for the story. **

**Thank you dear readers! **

**P.S. If you liked this story, I'd really appreciate hearing from you. Even a one-word review would let me know you enjoyed it! **


	6. Chapter 6

Hello, all! Thanks to your encouragement, I have continued this story in a sequel entitled Second Chances. Check it out, if you wish!

So I don't get in trouble for posting a non-story chapter, here is a deleted scene from Starting Over.

Jess stood in the bathroom, her empty duffle hanging from one hand and her toiletries scattered across the counter. She could hear Sam and Dean talking quietly in the other room. Dean had just come back from disposing of… Brady. Or not-Brady. Whatever. The point was, Sam's brother had just dumped a corpse, and Sam seemed to be taking it in stride. Worse, as if it were normal.

Jess met her own eyes in the mirror, staring at her pale face. 'What have I gotten myself into?'

But it was Sam. Sweet, gentle, loveable, goofball Sam, with his floppy hair and boyish grin. She trusted him. She loved him.

She raised her chin determinedly. 'Get a grip. Whatever is going on, you can trust Sam.' She started stuffing her things into the duffle. 'He will take care of you, and…whatever is going on.'

She took one last look at the tiny bathroom in her apartment, soaking in what normality she had left, and then switched off the light.

Jess joined the boys in the living room, giving Sam a brave, if small, smile.

"I'm ready."


End file.
